"Why are we going anywhere in this mess?" I grumble, my head resting in my hand as I blankly stare out the passenger window.

"Sometimes it's nice to drive around, whatever the weather," My mom replies too chirpy for such a dreary morning. "I thought you liked adventures."

I shrug indifferently. "I mean, I do, but not today. I'd rather stay inside."

"And do what?"

I give her the side-eye, one she doesn't notice since she's keeping her eyes on the road. "Stuff my face with ice cream and watch Gravity Falls reruns, I dunno, anything besides this."

It's been raining on and off in a steady, light stream all morning, and although it's only drizzling now, it's an overcast day in general- no sign of the sun anywhere. Why my mom packed me up into the car on this "road trip" is beyond me, especially after I told her I didn't want to be bothered. Then again, I actually do know what this is about. This is going to somehow end up as a mommy-daughter bonding time in an effort to cheer me up through some shopping and a cliché inspirational speech, I just know it, which is why I'm dreading it so much.

"You still feeling down?" She asks after several minutes of silence pass.

"Yup," I intentional, but unenthusiastically pop the 'p'.

"Okay."

She knows I don't want to talk about it, everyone has been made well aware of that fact since it happened. It's nearly been a week since the incident, but it still keeps me in a dark mood. It was one little nothing sprain that snowballed into this major thing and now I'm out of a team and with no prospects of joining a new one this late into the season.

Just when I'm able to rejoin track after having to sit out last season, I go and sprain my ankle. But I healed pretty quickly (my doctor's words, not mine), yet my coach, who I thought was supposed to have my back and be over-the-moon that her best and fastest runner could run again so soon, benches me the entire season saying I can come to games and practices and whatnot for moral support or whatever BS she's on. No matter how much I pleaded with her, she didn't sway. But the tipping point for me comes when I find out she puts her own kid, who still runs like a bow-legged toddler with a saggy diaper, in my place- and no one has a problem with this! Well, my anger management classes clearly haven't worked because once I found out, I cussed out my teammates then told my coach some pretty regrettable words looking back, but in the heat-of-the-moment were justified, and quit the team. Dramatic, yes, but look at who we're dealing with here.

So, yeah, now I sorta kinda have egg on my face and am going through another year of no track- not good if I'm trying to get into the Olympics. What I'm feeling right now is a mixture of regret, frustration, annoyance, disappointment, and a few other, smaller effects all muddling into one goopy, depressed mess.

I get to resting my eyes the remainder of the trip since the overcast is kinda giving me a headache. It's only when I feel the car stop that I open my eyes. Looking around, I can see we're as far from the shopping center as possible. Instead, we're at the state park, which is a ghost town but I'm not surprised.

I glance at my mom quizzically as she kills the engine. "Uh, mom, why are we at the park?"

"Because," She answers, grabbing her umbrella from the back as she pulls up her hood. "I thought a good walk would clear your mind."

I'm staring at her like she's lost it. "Mom. Seriously? My hair is going to become a freakin' afro. No."

"Oh, come on, Joan," She says, opening her door already. "When have you ever been worried about the rain? Besides, it's warm."

She gets out of the car, opening up her big, floral umbrella.

"Great, angel piss rain," I roll my eyes as I pull up my hoodie and get out the car. I join her, standing under the umbrella but giving the disgruntled stares that she blatantly ignores.

"See, it's not so bad out here," She says as we begin walking on one of the trails.

"Is your plan to get us killed by a deranged serial killer because that's what it seems like."

"It's a state park, honey, people can come and go whenever the park is opened and the park's open, it just so happens that we're the only ones that decided to seize the day."

Can I have whatever she's smoking because I need it.

Rolling my eyes at her again, we continue our walk in silence with nothing but the steady sound of rain drumming on the leaves, ground, and our umbrella. I'm not gonna deny it, the sound of the rain is soothing so I am enjoying that part, I just wish I could have listened to it in the comfort of my own room.

As we walk along the lonely, winding trail, I know that sooner or later she'll want to bring up whatever she brought me out here for- she's not like my dad in that aspect- and so, to save myself some trouble, I start the ball rolling first.

"Do you think it was stupid of me to quit the team?"

I don't know why I start with such an obvious question. The moment I broke the news to everyone, it was kinda obvious what they thought. I mean, if I'm finding it stupid then I know everyone else probably does already.

My mom, keeping it real and casual, simply shrugs her shoulders and replies with a glance at me. "Yeah, but you already knew that."

"Well, do you think I should try and fix it?"

She doesn't look at me on this one, her response still cool and relaxed. "I'm not going to tell you what to do because you're old enough- and passionate enough- to know what to do."

"But?" I can just hear it in her voice.

"But, my personal opinion, take it or leave it, is to learn from this experience and try to move on. I don't want your regrets to overshadow everything you've worked so hard for."

At that, I merely shrug and continue to listen to the rain gently beat down on the earth. We're starting to come up to a resting area on the trail, a sorta picnic place.

I've decided to let the issues drop, not wanting to bring up bad memories when I'm out here to clear my head and such. Just as we're turning a corner on the path, my mom smiles at me.

"Why don't we race to the pavilion?"

I blink, confused by this. "Huh?"

My mom hates running, she makes that fact very known, so it's a little more than surprising hearing that coming from her. But I'm assuming this is another tactic in her operation to cheer me up- she'll suck it up in order for me to feel better. So even though the rain is steadily picking up, I unsuccessfully try to bite back a grin and shrug.

"You're gonna lose."

She rolls her eyes. "I know, but you only live once."

"True that, true that."

We stop to take our marks. My heart's already racing in anticipation as I get into my uniformed starting position.

Glancing at her, I grin, "Ready...set...go!"

And off I go, already leaving her behind in the dust (or rather, puddles). I don't have far to go as the pavilion is only a few feet, but my mom knew how to pick my spirits up. Just this short sprint was enough to put a goofy smile on my face, even more so running through the angel piss warm rain. My hoodie got knocked back as I ran, but at this point I don't care if I get wet.

Arriving at the pavilion, I slow down upon seeing a group of people already gathered there. At first, I was gonna run under the cover of the pavilion as my finish line, but not wanting to be rude, I start to turn back around, that is until I hear my name being called.

"Hey, beanstalk, you're going the wrong way."

Befuddled, I turn back around, giving a double take as I see my brother waving at me from the pavilion. And hey, now that I'm looking more closely, those people look pretty familiar.

Walking towards him, still confused, I call back to him-

"What are you doing out here?"

"Starting a cult," He replies.

"Without me? I'm wounded."

He takes my arm, looping mine through his as he guides me to the pavilion where I can see my dad, Nora, my grandparents, Clifford, and his sixteen-year-old half-sister, Cat, are. They look like they've set up some sort of party with balloons and a cake and whatnot- I'm a little taken back.

"So you guys were gonna have a party- and start a cult- without me?" I ask, glancing around. "Is that what we're doing now?"

"Yup," Brent says.

"Are you surprised?" Cat asks eagerly.

"Well yeah," I say, shoving my hands in my hoodie pocket, still trying figure this out. "You could say that. But why are you guys throwin' a party out here in the rain?"

Nora sighs. "Oh my gosh, are you serious, Joan, stop playing."

Okay, now I'm completely lost. "Wha?"

"It's a party," Brent says as if I haven't caught onto that already.

My eyes widen as I glance back at the trail. "For mom? Why didn't you guys let me know?"

"No," Brent deadpans. "For Satan."

"Wait..." I pause to think.

"It's for you," My grandma says. "For your birthday, silly."

Oh! Yeah, my birthday, that thing. Honestly, my funk has been so severe I literally forgot the most important day of my life.

"Are you telling me Ms. Me-myself-and-I forgot her own birthday?" Clifford grins cheekily.

"And that it took her longer than Hugh to figure out the party was for her?" Brent adds.

"Geez, a cheerful 'surprise!' would have worked, but I'll let you guys have your roasting fest."

My mom finally makes it to the pavilion, clearly having given up on racing here. But I know she was in on this judging from her grin.

"See, didn't a nice run clear your mind," She says.

I smirk, "Yeah, you could say that. But you coulda told me we were going to the park."

She gives me a skeptical look, "Would you have honestly dragged yourself out of your mopey room if I did?"

"Good point."

Looking back, I have been kinda mopey and irritable the past few days. I've done what I always swore I won't: I let the past get to me and dwelt on it. But now, seeing what everyone's done for me, setting up this surprise party for me in the rain, I'm going to put it all behind me and take my mom's advice of moving on.

I'm definitely enjoying myself, being out here in the rain with my family and friends for my fourteenth birthday; it's memorable, something I can look back on and remember for the rest of my life. At some point, Brent gets this idea to have everyone say at least one nice thing about me.

"You know," He says. "Since we all roast you pretty much the other 364 days- 365 if it's a leap year- we should try to balance it out. Just this once, you know."

Tying my now afro into a ponytail, I reply-

"And just remember, people, passive aggressive compliments are not the real deal."

"Well, I guess I'm not starting 'cuz I have to think of a new one now," Brent says.

"Ooh, I'll start!" Cat says, always sounding like she's been hinting those espresso cups one too many times. "Joan, you're like one of the funniest people I know; like, you could do a stand-up comedy show and I'd pay money to see it. You always manage to make me laugh even when I'm, like, in the worse mood."

"Glad to know you're laughing with me and not at me, but I'd take either one," I reply, finally finished fighting my hair into a ponytail.

"Gosh, Cat," Clifford says. "You took the easiest one, her humor was the only thing going for her."

Since he's not close enough for me to jab him in the ribs, I just settle for a childish tongue flash.

My grandma pipes up next, though. "You're a very strong-willed young lady, and that's important. You don't let people walk all over you."

"And you got thick skin," My grandpa adds. "You don't let little things get to you."

"I try," I preen.

Clifford lights up. "You're smart."

Brent clucks his teeth. "We can't lie about these now."

Now he's close enough to hit, but my parents are here so I restrain myself.

"No," Cliff shakes his curly head. "I meant street-smart, savvy. You're real worldly and stuff and I like that about you because I don't have a clue what the world's about and I'm older than you. You're like that Billie Joel dog from Oliver and Company."

"Gonna pretend what that means, but thanks."

"Ugh, I should speak soon because all the good ones are getting taken..." Nora trails off.

While I proceed to roll my eyes, my mom speaks.

"You're very passionate about things, like your running. You have a goal for yourself and you don't like anyone or anything get in the way of it. I wish I was more like that when I was younger- even now."

I hadn't been ranking these so far- I mean, just hearing nice things about me is pretty high-ranking enough- but so far, my mom's has hit the closest to me.

Nora finally gets one.

"Okay, okay, I got one, I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner-"

"Me and you both," I mutter.

"I think it's awesome how you're you."

"Beep, beep, beep, I detect a copout," I give her a look.

"Hush. No, really, you're unapologetically you and that's awesome because then I'm like 'I wanna be like that too'."

I dramatically flip my hair. "Well, what can I say? I wanna be me too."

"Yeah, a-huh."

I love that girl, she's the best.

It's only my dad and Brent left, and Brent's trying to look like he's searching deep within himself for this so he makes my dad go first.

"You're fearless," He says, not making it sound good or bad, just what it is. "Fear doesn't dissuade you."

My dad doesn't have to say much for me to feel super proud of myself, it just doesn't take much.

Last but not least, Brent is the only one left to speak, but he's trying to act like he's still thinking.

"For someone whose idea this was, you sure are having a hard time with this," I comment.

He shrugs, "I was kinda hoping everyone else's answers were gonna suck so mine would seem better but..."

"And then we say I'm the narcissist."

"Okay," He says, rubbing his hands together briefly. "You are like this big ball of awesome, random energy and it's kinda like watching twin tornadoes carve a Harry Potter lightning bolt in the ground under a double rainbow. Long story short, you're a rare natural phenomenon and it's cool beans."

"Brent, always going above and beyond in extraness," I grin.

"Now there," He says. "Don't you feel loved?"

I can't help but keep on grinning like a goof as I shrug sheepishly.

"Yeah, you guys are the best."

"Good, 'cuz now the rest of the 364 days we don't have to feel bad about roasting you."

I laugh. "Go on, roast away."

It didn't matter whatever words anyone else would say about me the rest of my life, I would forever have those words from those who mean the most to me.

°°°

Waking up from my deep sleep, one would expect me to feel rested, but I'm more anxious and antsy than I've ever felt. My nerves must've been the thing to wake me because it's not even fully light out yet- it's like that weird almost dawn but not quite yet but you can almost sense sunrise coming kind of feel.

It's not like I've never woken up this early before back at home- in fact, I love watching the sunrise, that means it's a new day and all my shit from yesterday is dead- but today is something entirely different and I can't forget the emotional roller-coaster of last night.

Since I've been sleeping on the lumpy ground, I get up and start to stretch, warming my body up. Once I start to get my engine going, though, I begin to pace, a way to get my jitters out. Eventually, I just say to hell with it and start back up running (I've been slacking with my morning runs this entire journey).

Like last night, I don't care where I go, just as long as I'm moving forward. Unlike last night, though, I'm not in such a dramatic dire strait. The early morning air helps my thoughts circulate better. Right now, it might seem like I'm running from things, but I need these moments of silence and movement.

By now, the fact's sunk in that my dad was a...not so great guy when he was king here- or rather in Edalirwen- and that my family tree has its rotten apples, but now I'm at this crossroads and it's like what do I do about it. I can't change it, I can't fix it, I can't go back in time and tell my dad off (my mom looks like she handled that), so what do I do? What does Tymos want me to do?

Out of nowhere, I stop.

At first, the only sounds I hear when I strain are the soft rustle of the leaves overhead and my own heavy breathing. But just as I'm about to brush it off and keep moving, I hear what made me stop.

It's this weird, almost painful sounding groan- you know the one where you're trying to push out a baby-sized shit but you're constipated? That kind of groan. Well, my curiosity, of course, gets the better of me and I go in search of the sound, creeping around like a detective until I stumble across a grate-covered, manhole-sized gap in the ground that looks as if it goes into an endless abyss.

It's definitely coming from here. Question is, whether it's the trapdoor to hell or something else entirely. When I fail to see anything but darkness down there, I decide to call out.

"Hello? Anybody alive down there?"

To my surprise, I get a response.

"Yes."

The booming voice is thick with pain and discomfort.

Peering harder, trying to see anyone down there, I call back-

"Uh, I was just passing by and I heard you and I was just wondering if you were cool?"

If only it was lighter I might be able to see a damn thing.

The owner of the voice sounds labored. "No."

With nothing else said, I'm just kinda standing there, staring down in this pitch black abyss.

Glancing up at the lightening sky, I rub the back of my neck. "Um, yeah, well I gotta get-"

"No!" The voice yells up. "Do not go. Help me, I beg you."

I'm not much of a helper, but I know I can't just walk away from this.

"How can I help? I can't even see you, it's so dark down there."

"There is another entrance to this dungeon. It is in the side of a cliff."

"Side of a cliff?" I scan the area looking for any sign of a nearby cliff but fail to spot one. "Okay?"

"Go search, there is one close by, I promise you. Please do not leave me trapped."

"Okay, okay, I won't. I'm gonna help. If I can't find this cliff entrance or whatever then I'll come back here."

"Thank you," He breathes, sounding relieved.

As I start to walk around, looking for this cliff or whatever, I stumble across a dip in the landscape, one I missed before due to it blending in so well and it still being kinda dark. I carefully make my way down the slope until I reach the bottom. Now as I look around I can see a cave forged in the side of the hill.

Approaching the entrance of the cave, I notice the gate on the massive cave. Honestly, though, whoever design this thing needs to be fired because the gaps between these fucking bars are so wide even a fucking freight car could easily slip past them. Freely walking into the huge cave, as I look around the dark space, I have to wonder what sorta trap I might be walking into seeing as whoever was begging for my help could have easily escaped on their own.

But the design of the gate makes perfect sense the moment I come across the individual heavily chained in the center of the space.

"Are you serious?" I bellow, taking a step back in bewildered fury. "Of all the fucking people!"

Kaos can barely lift his head and turn it towards me he's so restricted by the chains. He glances at me before staring down in defeat at the ground. Stepping further into the weak lighting, I try to form my thoughts into words.

"How'd you end up here?"

He lets out a disgruntled and uncomfortable grunt. "Tymos. Once he caught wind of my intentions he trapped me here."

I fight back a lot of choice words until eventually I can't help but ask-

"Do you still have my ring."

Secretly, I'm holding my breath. I don't know what else he could have done with it, but I'm anxious nonetheless. Thankfully, his next answer is relieving.

"Yes."

"Good. Now give it back."

"I will once you release me," He groans, trying to shake out of his restraints to no avail.

"Um, how about no. You got yourself into this shitfest after stabbing me in the back. You're not even in a position to bargain."

At first, he gets all indignant, but as soon as it flares up, he deflates and hangs his head.

"You are not wrong. I am in no position to argue with you. It was wrong of me to treat you and your companions the way I did. I was so tired of this cursed affliction placed on me preventing me from my family that I was blind to my morals."

It's an apology of sorts, but although I love hearing people apologize to me and usually get past stuff once I do get an apology, I'm not feeling this one.

Crossing my arms, I reply flatly. "That's great, now where's my ring."

"Please," He says in sheer defeat. "All I wish for is to be freed from this prison. If you help me then I will return your ring."

"That's not how this works, you tell me first. Where's my ring?"

"My pocket, the left one," He finally answers.

I stand before him, staring up at him with my arms still crossed and his head still bowed low. Eventually, after several seconds of silence, I speak up.

"Alright, I'll help free you."

Slowly, he lifts his head to look down at me, a hint of hopefulness in his eyes.

"How do I get you out?" I ask.

He fidgets. "There is a lock- a single lock- it is small, but once unlocked it will release all my chains."

"Okay," I nod. "Where's it at?"

"Near my neck."

"And how am I supposed to get up there?"

"You are a girl of heights, are you not? I will remain as still as possible."

Hanging my head, I sigh dramatically.

The things I do for people.

Not wasting any more time, I get to climbing. There's a reason why I'm a runner not a climber, though, and this is it. I can't grip onto anything for shit, but it seems I'm going to have to in order not to fall and die because I'm so far up now that if I do fall off I'm either dying right then and there or wearing a full body cast the rest of my life.

Heaving myself up- using that nonexistent upper body strength- I finally make it to his shoulder, worn out but victorious.

"Okay," I pant, standing up and catching my breath. "What next?"

"Do you see the lock?" He asks.

Looking around, I'm really hoping the lock isn't on the other side of his neck. My eyes suddenly land on it though, and I carefully make my way to it.

Tymos definitely did this, it has his name written all over it. Even for a normal sized person like myself, this lock is ridiculously small- I almost needed a microscope to find it.

"Okay," I say. "I can see the lock. Do you happen to have the key by chance?"

"No," He says. "The bastard used his magic to lock it."

"Well then how in the heck am I supposed to unlock it?" I ask incredulously.

He sighs. "You can try unlocking it with whatever skills or tools you may possess."

Letting out a tired sigh of my own, I try to think if I have anything on me that I can jimmy this lock with. I know how to jimmy a lock like this because of Cliff- he used to teach me tricks like this. What I wouldn't kill to have a bobby pin in my hair right now- out of all the times not to have one of the fifty billion ones I own.

Just as I'm patting myself down, though, I light up as I remember my sword. But just as my hand flies to my waist, I nearly slap myself. I left the sword behind during my identity crisis, now here I am looking stupid. The tip of the blade would have been the perfect point to use. Now it's back to searching in hopes of finding something.

Rummaging around in my pockets, I pause when my fingers brush against a cool metallic object. 

Quickly pulling out the connected pieces of the mysterious object I've been assembling this entire journey, I feel successful only to have that good vibe crushed as well. The object is still missing a piece or two. I seem to be missing the end piece. I have a loop then a length, but I'm missing-

As dense as horse shit I tell ya.

It all makes perfect sense now- what this object is.

Glancing between the lock and the object, I realize that all this time I've been creating a key.

At first, it seems kind of fishy that Tymos has been leading me to assemble this, but seeing as there's still one piece missing- the most important part- the actual ending where the key is supposed to fit in the lock, I doubt this is a trap, at least an obvious one. He's playing games, he just can't help himself, but little does he know that I'm crafty.

I can pick a lock with an unfinished key, believe me, I'm skilled. So, carefully angling the key, I fit it into the small lock, wiggling it around a bit to get a feel for the inside. It takes some serious finessing- I mean some hardcore, gimme-a-medal- finessing, but at last I hear the light click and pop of the lock being cracked.

Beaming in smug victory, as I pull back the key I get a startling surprise. Like a magic trick, the key has been restored to its whole state, all the pieces fit together seamlessly, even the end. I guess that's where the last piece was hiding, all I needed to do was have some faith and a little ingenuity.

Like he said before, once that lock is unlocked everything else just falls off him as he shakes off the chains that once tightly held him. As he straightens up, I hold on for dear life, not wanting to slip off.

"Hey, hey, I'm still up here," I yell in his ear.

He offers me his hand to climb onto, which I do, before starting for the exit. We arrive at the gate which, at first glance, looks daunting, but proves pretty wimpy in keeping in a giant like Kaos who crushes it like I do my soda cans.

Stepping into the open, which is even brighter than when I first went in, he lets out a relieved sigh.

"At liberty again." He lifts up his hand so we're on eye level. His face is always hard and scornful, but his words are anything but. "Thank you."

It's all he can say, but it's enough for me.

"No problem."

His hard features soften slightly. "You did not have to follow through with your word, but you did."

"Well, I was taught to mean what I say and say what I mean. Plus, we have a common foe so why help him by leaving you chained up. Also, don't think I forgot about my promise to help you get back to your regular size because I haven't."

He sighs again, but it's more of a conflicted sigh. Suddenly, he looks forlorn.

"Forgive me for the injustice I have committed against you. I have acted out in fear and recklessness. You have your brother you care deeply about and I have been blinded by selfishness for my own gain. You have kept your promises thus far when all I've repaid you with are lies."

"Don't sweat it, I know a thing or two about recklessness myself so I get it."

"You are reckless, but in a way that benefits you, if ever there was a positive to such a trait."

That actually hits me, like profoundly. To have a largely negative trait be reconstructed to be good...I guess that's what Nora was talking about when she mentioned turning lemons into lemonade popsicles.

"Now," He says reaching into his pocket to pull something out. "I believe this is yours."

Dangling in front of me is the ring I had given him as a trick. Relieved to hold it again, I nearly snatched it out his hand, gripping it tightly as if it might slip through my grasp. After squeezing it in my fist, I place it around my neck where it belongs.

"Thank you," I breathe, not being able to take my eyes off it.

"You have no need to apologize to me. I was the one who took it from you."

A huge part of me feels whole again. I don't feel like I'm losing control anymore, I feel balanced and reassured. As I'm finally able to breathe again, I study the deep blue gem. Like a sign of gifted courage, it gleams in the light.

The sunlight reminds me that today is the day. It's make it or break it. I can honestly say that I don't know what to expect, but it's a fact that I won't back down.

Firstly, though, I need to get back to the others before they wake up and realize I'm gone.

"Hey, thanks again for everything, but I gotta get going."

"Where to?" He asks.

"Well, first my friends then to Tymos."

He nods. "Then allow me to assist you on the final stretch of your quest. I shall take you to your friends then I can take you to the bastard's doorsteps- it is the least I can do."

Wow, guess Nora was right after all, it does pay to be nice.

Grinning at him, I reply confidently. "That would be awesome, thanks."

So off we go. Ready or not, here I come.